intoxication: life in the pursuit of artificial paradise

this book is being reissued april 2005, excerpt from new scientist:

Siegel, the author, believes there is a strong biological drive to seek intoxication. "its the fourth drive" he says, "after hunger, thirst and sex, there is intoxication." Whether we are seeking pleasure, stimulation, pain relief or escape, at the root of this drive, he says, is the motivation to feel "different from normal" - what has sometimes been called "a holiday from reality".

Some people reach this state through roller coasters, art, books, sport, relogion, exploration, love, social contact or power. Others use intoxicants. "its the same motivation" says siegel. "we wouldnt live if we didnt seek to feel differerent".

One of the main "different" feelings we want to experience is pleasure. Pleasure, neuroscientists believe, is the brains way of telling us that we are doing something that is good for survival, such as eating and sex. the circuits that create feeling are driven by natural opioids and cannabinoids. no surprise, then that e have a penchant for putting versions of these chemicals into our brains.